1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to ram-air inflated kites having contoured upper and lower surfaces formed into a longitudinal alignment of transverse cell by dividers between the surfaces. The kite structure is usually of a pliable soft material and is shaped similar to the airfoil of an airplane wing. Air passing through the divided sections inflates the cells and maintains the airfoil shape. The movement of air through, over, and under the airfoil shape provides ram-air kites with excellent lift and flight characteristics. The present invention is particularly directed towards a ram-air inflated kite with a special line X-bracing arrangement for control of stacked kites and a harness for the operator with a safety anchoring device attachable to the harness.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past art, airfoil structure is seen in several particular types of kites and in some controllable parachutes. A typical kite using air-foil design is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,806,071, issued to Brown on Apr. 23, 1974. The Brown patent shows a kite using a flexible airfoil with air receiving pockets to increase flight ability. The device is made of fabric and has no frame. Brown uses a plurality of attachments so the kite can be flown at different angles or attitudes. For additional stabilization, a drogue, a bag-like drag, is used as a tail.
An inflatable airfoil is seen in the Jones et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,129,272. The Jones et al. patent is dated Dec. 12, 1978. This device uses a flexible spar aligned with pockets resembling an airplane wing. Control lines attach to the outer ends of the spar and the spar can bend in flight to accommodate variations in air speed over the envelope. Although not shown in the drawings or discussed in the specification, the Jones kite could be stacked by attaching bridal lines from one airfoil to the other at the spar ends.
A gliding wing parachute apparatus is shown in the Reuter patent. The patent was issued on Jul. 11, 1989 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,423. A plurality of ram-air inflated cells are affixed with a multiple of attachment lines. The cells can vary in size and materials used can differ dependent upon a loading factor.
A ram-air airfoil stunt kite is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,424, issued to Prouty, Jul. 11, 1989. Dual bridles are attach to two control lines. The bridles are formed by lines in triangular attachment from the control line points upward to attachment points on each half of the kite structure. As wind velocity increases, the Prouty kite becomes transversely curved. This is said to enhance the controllability of the kite for stunt maneuvers.
Kites structured in curved airfoil form and using ram-air inflation seen in past art patents and in the market place have many good features but are often cumbersome and difficult to control. Some airfoils rigged as shown do not actually provide good control of kites in stacked formation. This is especially true of the bridal arrangements. Kite stacking (affixing one complete kite above another so both independent airfoils act as one) is becoming increasingly popular. For kite stacking with adequate control, special rigging is needed. Until the present invention, that special rigging has not been available.